'It was quite emotional. This was her first tattoo at 93': Cork tattoo artists talk of growing industry

From 'lucky dip' designs to requests for matching tattoos on a first date to a pensioner who got her first at 93, Cork’s renowned ink masters have seen it all…and more, writes Sarah Horgan

Jake Stahlecker and Gin, owners of The Black Poppy, their tattoo parlour on Winthrop Street in Cork City where they have created a calming, creative and welcoming atmosphere. Picture: Chani Anderson

When Ötzi 'The Iceman' was discovered in the Tyrolean Alps in 1991, one of the most remarkable things about him was the 61 inkings on his body. Thought to have been done with a single-point puncture tool tipped with carbon pigment, the find shows that tattooing was as popular with our ancestors 5,000 years ago as it is today.

But while permanent body art is nothing new, Cork tattoo artists say people are increasingly opting for the more unusual — and even the downright bizarre.